PZ - March 21st 2013

The Planning and Zoning Commission met in workshop session on Thurs, March 21, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mayfield Village Civic Center Conference Room for a meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Chairman Farmer presided.

Mr. Marrelli states we have two conditional use permits tonight, both in the same building, Geis Properties. These are the first proposals brought to our table since Geis bought their building. They not being familiar with our processes, we’re trying to fast tract everything because they apparently entered into the leases prior to knowing what the conditional use and build-out process is. I talked to Kyle today from Crooked River CrossFit and he’s put a presentation together so we can better understand exactly what it is they’re going to be doing.

Introduction to CrossFit

Kyle Eshleman introduced himself and his business partner Marty Pajek. We are Crooked River CrossFit. I know the agenda says Hit 360 Fitness, but we’ll explain that as we go. I’d like Marty to begin with his credentials.

Marty Pajek said I’ve been in personal training for about 5 years now through the JCC Lifetime Fitness. Kyle and I met at Lifetime Fitness and wanted to start a business together. Throughout the years I’ve gotten multiple certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Personal Training Institute. I also have a background in corrective exercise.

Kyle Eshleman said I’m a little bit older than Marty so I have a little more experience in the field, about 10 yrs experience. I went to Bowling Green State University, got my Bachelors Degree in Exercise Physiology. I worked at Lifetime for 4 ½ yrs, got a certification in CrossFit. Marty & I started doing a little bit of CrossFit while we were there then decided we were ready to do our own thing.

You have to be an affiliate with CrossFit to call yourself CrossFit. We came up with the name Hit 360 Fitness. Hit meaning high intensity training and 360 meaning all areas of fitness. We had the intention of becoming a CrossFit affiliate but until that could happen we had to build up the money to pay for the affiliation. We opened in May of 2012. In July we got our affiliation as Crooked River CrossFit. We wanted to use Hit 360 CrossFit but those names were too close to other CrossFits. Now we’re doing business as ‘Crooked River CrossFit’. In the short amount of time that we became affiliates with CrossFit, it’s a huge buzz word out in the fitness world right now if you’re into exercising. CrossFit is a very unique way of training. It’s a very high intense way of training. A lot of people are becoming more familiar with it because of the Reebok CrossFit games that have come out. If you watch in July, they’ll be on ESPN 3. In the next 5 yrs you can see CrossFit rivaling the Olympics because you’re finding the fitness people of the world doing it.

Within our first 6 months we started to outgrow our space. In looking for space, we found 701 Beta Dr. in Mayfield Village, perfect industrial space.

This isn’t an overnight type of thing. CrossFit started back in 2000 and it’s slowly made its way from the west coast to here. Now it’s worldwide. There’re 5500 affiliates out there now. It continues to grow. It’s unique in that it’s for the person that enjoys an intense type of workout. Former athletes love it. But we have people in their 60’s and 70’s that are just learning how to exercise. Everything that we do is scalable to the individual. It’s interactual classes, can be a high school student up to a 60 or 70 yr old. You’re all doing the same workout but it’s skilled to what you can do. That’s where our background comes into play. We understand the individual, we’ve worked with tons of people, we know what is and what’s not going to work for certain people. That’s what brings our credibility into focus. There are a lot of people that try to mimic CrossFit, but you can get injured if you’re not doing this properly.

Chairman Farmer asked if there’s a CrossFit Downtown on Superior.

Kyle Eshleman replied yes. Some CrossFits are a little bit more established. The CrossFit CLE downtown is one of the first ones. The typical gym size is 200 – 300 members. They’re not your big global type of gyms that have thousands of members. You have to look at it as more of a program. You don’t come in and work out on your own. You’re working out with a group of other people that’s instructed by the trainers and coaches. That’s where it becomes a little bit more unique. We’re able to leverage our time with much bigger groups of people. There’s always instruction going on. Everybody’s working together at the same time.

Mr. Fikaris asked if all clients are scheduled.

Kyle Eshleman replied yes. Classes are early morning, mid morning, afternoon and our evening classes are typically our busiest at 5, 6 & 7:00 p.m. You typically want one coach for every 10 members. Marty & I are pretty much always there during the classes. As of right now Marty and I are the only employees. We have 3 volunteers, Marty’s brother is one, he’s a CrossFit Certified trainer, his cousin Ben and we have a female who used to work at Fort Hood, has 4 yrs experience and she’s awesome. They assist with the classes.

Mr. Marrelli asked about First Aid training if an incident should occur.

Kyle Eshleman replied they have training in First Aid and CPR, never had anything serious happen.

Lt. Michael Girbino asked if they’ll have an AED on the premises.

Kyle Eshleman replied we don’t currently but we’ve been contacted by a company that sells them. We’re looking into possibly getting one.

Mr. Fikaris asked about client base in numbers.

Kyle Eshleman stated Marty and I both have individual clients. People have followed us from other gyms. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but our membership base is 89 – 90 members right now. Our cost per membership is a little bit higher than a typical gym because you’re getting personal training. When you look at it like that, per class it’s roughly $7 - $10. It’s unlimited. You can come as often as you like.

Mr. Fikaris asked where they would like to be with numbers of members.

Chairman Farmer sees them running in groups Downtown. They’re in warehouse space, men & women together. There’s a boxing club across the street and they go there sometimes.

Kyle Eshleman said it’s cool because there are no restrictions to the different type of training that we do. We do Olympic lifting, long distance running, sprinting, tire flipping, climb ropes, gymnastic movements. We do anything and everything they do. It’s nice that Lakeshore Gymnastics is right next door. Kids get into CrossFit typically early and a lot of the stuff we do is gymnastic style movements. They’d work well together. We wouldn’t have to do a daycare because we have Lakeshore Gymnastics right there.

Kyle Eshleman summarizes video. We use monostructural movements which are running, rowing, biking, swimming. All those types of movements mixed in with gymnastic style movements which are all body weight style towards pulling your weight up, pushing it, squatting, running, jumping. Then you have weight lifting which is moving external weights. It’s put together in a way where it’s that combination of different movements. The pride and biggest part of it is the community side. You’re going through these very hard workouts with a large group of people, somehow it defines everybody. People become very passionate about CrossFit. It’s great for the community and something everybody can benefit from.

Marty Pajek summarizes. We have roughly 90 members. We’re pacing 6 – 10 members a month on average. Once people start getting into it, they get addicted, they feel comfortable with the trainers, with the other people and they’re not moving to other gyms. We guide them throughout the whole workout.

Payroll

Mr. Marrelli asked about payroll.

Marty Pajek is projecting $8,500 for this upcoming month, that’s just memberships, that’s not including private training. People are on membership contracts for up to a year. So as memberships come, that’s an extra $600 - $1,000 a month we’d be gaining.

Hours of Operation & Parking

Mr. Marrelli asked about hours of operation.

Marty Pajek replied 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and that’s staggered throughout the day depending on the classes. It’s really by appointment only and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Mr. Marrelli asked if their landlord has carved out enough parking spaces for their classes.

Marty Pajek said yes, our busiest classes are 6:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Those are typically after hours when the parking lot is cleared. Next door to us is Allegra Printing and I’ve only seen 2 or 3 cars there at a time.

Kyle Eshleman said we understand that Health 360 is across the road at 700 Beta. CrossFit is unique in the business, we’re not really a gym, we’re more a program and we don’t have a large amount of people coming and going into the gym. It’s not like we’d be stealing business from them, it’s like comparing a Yoga gym to a big gym, very different.

Mr. Syracuse asked if clients generally come every day, once a week, three times a week?

Marty Pajek replied 3 – 6 times a week typically for newcomers. We recommend more than once a week obviously.

Build-Out

Mr. Fikaris didn’t see showers when he looked at the plans. What degree of build-out are you doing?

Mr. Marrelli said they’re doing the build-out now. There’s one shower stall. They’ll shower one at a time. How much time is there between classes?

Kyle Eshleman said 6:00 am class and then not another class until 10:00 am, plenty of time in between. They’re hour long classes.

Chairman Farmer asked if any further questions or comments. There were none.

Chairman Farmer thanked Kyle and Marty and advised that the Commission will vote on the next regular meeting Mon April 1st.

Mr. Marrelli said the name of the company is Koinonia Homes. From what I gather it’s a training facility. I have a lot to learn about it myself.

Brandon Kline from Geis Construction introduced himself and Maura Maresh from Geis Companies representing the tenant. Koinonia Homes is a vocational training career center. They’re headquartered in Brooklyn Hts. They have two facilities in Brooklyn Hts, one in Independence. Currently they don’t have any facilities on the east side of Cleveland. It’s very important for them to get on the east side. Cuyahoga County is looking to utilize this center to be able to handle the amount of interns they take in.

They have people that join their program, whether they’re in private group homes or they own their own group homes. Even private residents join. They train them. A business will contact them and say “I’d like you to train me 15 employees to perform this task”. Koinonia Homes will bring their interns that are on their payroll and teach them how to perform tasks such as clerical work, folding linens, assembling jewelry, sorting packages, shipping and distributing things.

They’ve been in operation since 1974. This year they received an award from the Ohio House of Representatives as a top business in Ohio.

Hours of Operation & Salaries

BrandonKline states their work operations hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They will shuttle and drop off their interns to a facility. Typically 3 or 4 drop offs in the morning and afternoon. They’re staggered between 8 – 9 and then 2 – 4. They’ll employ 20 Koinonia Homes employees plus they’re hoping to have 75 paid interns. Interns will be paid minimum wage or better.

Their whole motto is to train mentally handicapped, disabled and physically challenged individuals for careers, and allow them to pursue a career within the community.

This facility would end up having residents from Mayfield Hts, So Euclid, Solon, Beachwood, Oakwood Village, Lyndhurst and Euclid. They do not have a group home located within Mayfield Village, but if there were mentally handicapped, disabled that would want to join the program, it’s very possible they could use this facility.

Mr. Marrelli asked if there’s a cafeteria.

Brandon Kline said no.

Mr. Marrelli asked what they do for lunch, because they don’t have cars.

Brandon Kline assumes they’d have to provide their own lunch.

Brandon Kline refers to the floor plan which is set up like a mixed use facility. It’s all under a business profile. Offices towards the entry, Vocational training facility in the back and receiving area to receive shipments and distribution of the goods they produce and train.

Chairman Farmer asked the ages of the interns.

Brandon Kline replied all over the map. From what we’ve been told, it’s post educational age. That would be college age to adult age, possibly 50’s & 60’s.

Mr. Marquardt asked, 75 interns bused in and out?

Brandon Kline said yes, bused in and out. That’s their goal. They operate normally 20 interns in the facility at a time with 20 employees. Because of the physical challenges you have to have a high amount of employees to intern ratio. With the 20 employees the annual salary would be roughly $800,000. The intern salary would add to that.

Distribution

Mr. Marrelli asked about the distribution component. Is this a daily drop off of goods to be manufactured?

BrandonKline said on a great week, maybe 4 shipments, maybe one a day. Basically 1 to 4 a week dropped off early morning and picked up end of day.

Mr. Marrelli asked if it’s all small piece work. They’re not going to try and fabricate anything, are they?

Brandon Klein replied no. They have other facilities that they actually teach how to do HVAC equipment, but that’s in Brooklyn Hts. This would be more collating forms. They like to help out within the community too, contacting local businesses. Businesses will contact them saying they need help getting a mailer done, 10,000 fliers packed, then distributed out. They sort for vending machines. One of the things they do often is sort Q-tips. Large packages of Q-tips come in, they break them down into small packages and ship out.

Mr. Marrelli asked if they ever go off site to work.

BrandonKline said not from this facility, but from the other facilities.

Mr. Marrelli was thinking about linen folding with the hotel across the street.

BrandonKline said they will try at job placement too. They’re predominantly trained within the facility but if they have good placement, they will try a part time employment situation.

Mr. Marrelli said it’s basically a training facility. They’re in a Production/Distribution District. There was a lot of twisting and turning over whether it was really a production or training. I bounced that back and forth with the Law Dept., because it’s not continually the same products being produced, and they’re not really producing for profit. That brings up another question, is this a non-profit organization?

BrandonKline said it’s a non-profit organization. It’s funded and receives subsidies from Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio. They have 21 group homes located within Cuyahoga County.

Mr. Marrelli said we decided it was mostly a training facility vs. a manufacturer.

BrandonKline said one of the reasons they felt this space was perfect was location, accessible off the freeway and on the east side of Cleveland. The other is they will use the loading dock facility that this building was originally designed and intended for and the fact that it doesn’t feel like a manufacturing facility. It’s not the feel of an industrial facility.

Chairman Farmer asked if any question or comments.

Mr. Syracuse asked about hours of operation.

BrandonKline said Mon thru Fri 8 – 5. They said they typically close by 4.

In case of Emergency

Mr. Marrelli asked what they do in case of an emergency.

BrandonKline replied whenever you deal with disabled and handicapped, people have to be fully certified. A requirement of the State, because it’s public funded, we need to bring this space up to full ADA function. Accessibility of the requirements is that everything is fully accessible. We’ll be adding a rail off the back that complies. Another aspect is we’re doing an awning in the front. We’re trying to create some façade improvements on a building that really has not been touched in quite some time. We’re trying to create a little more of an identity for tenants.

Chairman Farmer asked if any further questions or comments. There were none.

Chairman Farmer thanked Brandon and Maura and advised the Commission will vote on the next regular meeting Mon April 1st.

Applicants leave at this time, prior to adjournment.

Discussion Ensued on Proposals

Koinonia Homes Fire Protection

Ted Esborn states as John said, we wrestled with this. What’s permitted in this zone? We can look at the code language, but it’s i.e. fabrication of metals, a list of what’s specifically permitted in terms of manufacturing. What is distribution? It’s the storage of these. My initial thought was if they make something, they fit. But the more we talked, we asked, is this a manufacturing company or a training facility? It was a tough call.

Mr. Marrelli said it’s not even a company. It’s a federally funded supportive training facility. The whole thrust of what they’re doing is to train people to go out and get jobs.

Mr. Fikaris compares it to the Mayfield CEVEC Program.

Mr. Marrelli said we keep running into these little hybrid things that aren’t fully in compliance and they’re not fully out of bounds.

Mr. Fikaris asked if it were a for-profit, they would not fall within the present zoning?

Mr. Marrelli replied that has nothing to do with it.

Mr. Syracuse asked if it’s because what they’re doing on the property they’re allowed to do if they were going to be manufacturing something specific? My understanding is because that’s not a manufacturing co., we’re giving them a conditional use permit to allow them to train these people to do this. It’s not really inconsistent in a sense with what’s already permitted.

Mr. Marrelli agreed. The fact that he says they’re going to train people how to do clerical work. There’s no production or distribution component to that. Now when they assemble stuff, take the pieces out of the boxes, put it together and send it back out, that fits. They’re being taught how to do that so they can go do it somewhere else.

Lt. Girbino said based on the number of disabled handicapped people in there, shouldn’t they have some sort of a fire evacuation alarm system in there? I don’t think it’s required by code for that use, but it might be something to consider asking them to do.

Dr. McGrath said it’s almost more like a school. Again, these are individuals that if the alarms go off, I’m not sure that all of these people could get out by themselves.

Mr. Marrelli asked, do you think a voice activated?

Lt. Girbino said even a standard fire evacuation alarm system, like what Lakeshore Gymnastics has in their space. They’re an assembly. They used to have their own stand alone fire alarm system in their space and smoke detection to protect that space as well. The way that building is set up you have 4 sprinkler risers that supply the water to the building, because of its size each riser has its own water flow alarm that’s monitored, but there’s no evacuation alarm tied to this.

Lt. Girbino said you could have a voice alarm to tell you there’s a fire in the building and you have to evacuate. Without that, there’s nothing in that space.

Mr. Marrelli asked, they don’t have any notification devices?

Lt. Girbino replied nothing.

Mr. Marrelli said their plans were prepared and approved. The Architects approved them without any thought to that. That would be voluntary if they’re going to do that.

Dr. McGrath can’t believe the State or whoever funds them wouldn’t require something like that.

Mr. Marquardt said there’s a balance affect. They have 20 people teaching 20 people. I agree they have to know if there’s a problem but you may not have to over alert people. It could cause more of a panic.

Mr. Marrelli said this Committee could ask for a fire alarm system to be installed as part of this build-out as a condition of the permit if they feel strongly enough.

Lt. Girbino suggests it. I work with the CEVEC kids pretty regularly with fire training. Some are hearing impaired where I have an issue that they can’t hear the alarms, some are developmentally mentally disabled. They’re all at different levels. It varies from group to group.

Mr. Marrelli said it never dawned on me that there weren’t any notification devices in there.

Chairman Farmer thinks we ought to tell Geis Co. what we’re thinking. It seems like it could be relatively simple.

Mr. Fikaris said it has to pass their inspection, would that include ADA?

Lt. Girbino said no. It’s all based on what the building code use is.

Mr. Marrelli said they’re spec’d out as a ‘B’ Business which is an office building. Again, if you think it’s a good idea, I think it’s a good idea, we could make it a condition. It’s not a building code requirement, but we could make it a zoning code requirement.

Mr. Marquardt asked if it were zoned for training, would it have that requirement.

Mr. Marrelli said if it were a school it would depend on the occupant load.

Mr. Marquardt said he’s talking about 100 people in this case.

Mr. Marrelli said if that was just an assembly hall, they would have it. It would be required. If it was a restaurant it would be required.

Mr. Marquardt said if you’re giving them a conditional use permit for a use that’s not what it’s zoned for, you base it on what the conditional use is.

Mr. Marrelli agrees.

Ted Esborn said there’s the possibility if we went with the condition we talked about before, the applicant might hear that condition as you are requiring something extra of them because of the population they work with.

Dr. McGrath thinks it’s just the shear number of 100 people in that space at one time. I don’t think it’s because of the population. The things they have to do because of the population are the ADA.

Chairman Farmer asked, ADA doesn’t have some kind of requirement like that?

Mr. Marrelli said no. ADA requirements don’t have anything to do with fire protection.

Chairman Farmer asked how much a system would cost.

Lt. Girbino replied close to $5,000. CEVEC operates out of a house. The whole thrust behind the trainers is to teach the kids how to live at home. There are usually no more than 5 kids in there at a time, supervised by 2 Teachers. The Geis building wasn’t designed for this purpose forty years ago when it was built. John confirmed it was Office/Warehouse.

Dr. McGrath said I’d want to know if I needed to get out. You can only get out from front and back. I’d like to have that alarm if I’m in that place.

Mr. Marrelli said we’re brainstorming this.

Dr. McGrath said I think this is a great use for this space. I think it’s a wonderful thing to have. I’d be very proud to be able to say this is in Mayfield Village. I’m just concerned about 100 people in the space at the same time.

Mr. Marrelli said you’re taking a warehouse, putting 100 people in it and doing things you don’t do in warehouse space. I don’t know if the Federal or State Government would weigh in on this.

Mr. Marquardt said we have Home Rule.

Ted Esborn recommends we do it based on the numbers.

Mr. Syracuse said that’s why we’re doing it.

Dr. McGrath said they’re putting this in a place that wasn’t designed for the purpose they want to use it for. I worry about what’s going on next door that could start a fire.

Lt. Girbino said BOND Distributing next door has hazardous materials in their warehouse.

Mr. Marrelli has not had any communication with this company. Everything’s been through Geis. Geis is doing the build-out for the tenant. If everyone’s convinced they need a notification system in there we need to give Geis a heads up because they’re in construction.

Mr. Marquardt asked if we have comparable uses that we can pick up the requirements for this.

Mr. Marrelli said QED has it. The entire building has notification devices and they do assembly there. The landlord did that. That was voluntary. We do have a local ordinance on the suppression. Geis said that the building hasn’t been touched in four years. Maybe it’s time somebody brings it up to the present level of protection. As they rent future space they should put devices, detection in. We’ll discuss it with them.

Lt. Girbino said they can do occupant notification in every space as they build-out. It would be an upgrade. That’s the way it really should be. John agrees.

Mr. Marquardt said this kind of situation is a fall off from this piece meal conditional use permit rolling through. We don’t have anything in the system, we don’t remember all this stuff, so we don’t think about it. We don’t have a plan.

Request Max Hours of Operation for all Conditional Use Permits

Mr. Syracuse said one condition I think we might want to put on all these businesses are their hours. CrossFit could decide they want to stay open till 10 or 11:00 at night if they get enough people. We’re granting them the use of basically doing whatever they want and we’re not requiring them to maintain hours the code would require. I like restricting the hours on all these permits. I’d like to limit that so we don’t get someone come in and open for 24 hrs. This is my concern.

Mr. Marrelli said this Board has the authority to put conditions on any permit they see fit. You’re giving them permission to operate outside of the code.

Chairman Farmer asked why we would care about later hours. I thought it was mostly hours when there’s competition for parking and traffic. What would the concerns at night be?

Mr. Marrelli suspects it would be Police concerns. The two hotels are the only businesses open 24 hrs.

Mr. Syracuse would like to see all applicants list their maximum hours they’d like the Commission to grant.

Mr. Fikaris said they stated their business hours but that they also have private/personal sessions.

Mr. Marrelli said to have something for us to work from, we put together 10 guidelines for the applicant to meet. Feel free to expand on those so we don’t keep reinventing the wheel. We need a whole business plan but we’re getting less and less information from the applicant.

Ted Esborn said David and I are working on code changes. I took a shot at taking the existing code and expanding the uses. It was a lesson for me in how the code is structured. At the end of the day I saw it as a larger task than I thought.

Mr. Syracuse said you’d have to basically rezone the whole street. Sue reminded that would have to go to the voters.

Mr. Marrelli said you can’t change the zoning but you could expand the permitted and accessory uses. This method although it’s used too much in my opinion, seems to work because it’s a case by case basis and everything’s tailored to that user.

Dr. McGrath said each time you give somebody a conditional use permit you’re then opening the door for the next person to come in and say “You did it for them”.

Mr. Syracuse notes the good thing is these are two year permits. If something comes up John can bring them back and we can address it.

Mr. Marrelli said the warehouse space is popular for everything now, to sell stuff, to work out. Warehouse space rents for way less than retail.

Mr. Marrelli said the only people/businesses affected say you can’t get out of the driveway on Beta between 3:00 & 5:00.

Dr. McGrath says a lot of the problem is Wilson Mills and the freeway, not just Beta.

Ted Esborn said commercially things are picking up.

Koinonia Homes Fire Protection – Condition of Permit

Mr. Marrelli getting back to Koinonia Homes confirms the Board’s decision in leaning towards requiring some kind of notification device in their suite due to the number of people they’ll have in there (the occupancy load) as a condition of their permit.

Lt. Girbino asked if it should be presented as an update to the building as a whole.

Mr. Marrelli said a little at a time. Let’s take care of this space first.

Lt. Girbino said it’s going to come down to are we going to do a free standing fire alarm system for that space or our we going to work on the entire building to include notification.

Mr. Marrelli thinks you walk before you run. This one because they’re under the conditional use permit, this Board has the authority to require it, we feel there’s a safety issue. We don’t have the authority to require it anywhere else. They should consider in the future putting in notification devices for each tenant build-out and make it part of their program.

Chairman Farmer asked if anyone has anything further for discussion.

Mr. Marrelli said the Deacon’s Project will be kicking off in next 2 weeks. They’ll be tearing that red brick building down first week of April.